Little Lorraine: Lifetime Drama Masquerading as a Thriller

Little Lorraine sets up a promising premise: a coal miner whose opportunities have dried up reluctantly turns to his shady uncle’s lobster fishing business, only to discover the work is far darker than expected. On paper, that sounds like the start of a gritty, inventive thriller. In practice, though, the film squanders its potential, lacking both creativity and bite.

Photo Courtesy of Wango Films

Within five minutes, you know exactly what kind of movie you’re in for. It carries the glossy, but flat sheen of a “Lifetime” drama, strung together by plot points that connect without real continuity, and performances that never allow the audience to latch onto the characters in a meaningful way. The story structure is typical: an out-of-work man takes a desperate risk, only for the fallout to spiral. While this framework can work when infused with tension and originality, here it simply plods along, hitting predictable beats without surprise or impact.

Photo Courtesy of Wango Films

The cast is a curious mix. Sean Astin appears briefly as a priest, clocking in less than five minutes of screen time. Matt Walsh shows up in a small role, and global superstar J Balvin makes his acting debut. None are leads, and none elevate the film beyond their name recognition. Their inclusion feels less like inspired casting and more like tossing a net to catch relative faces, only to come up mostly empty. The one saving grace is Auden Thornton as Emma, wife of protagonist Jimmy (played by Stephen Amell). Thornton injects her scenes with a rawness and authenticity that stand in stark contrast to the rest of the film. It feels like she wandered in from a much better production, and the movie is better for it.

Photo Courtesy of Wango Films

Ultimately, Little Lorraine aims for crime thriller grit but lands as a dull, flat misfire. It tries to appeal to multiple audiences, older viewers with its small-town struggles, younger ones with a stunt cast like J Balvin, but in doing so, it satisfies neither. Just like the film’s lobster traps, the haul here comes up empty.